Purists Revenge
by Butterfly Hippie
Summary: Sequel to Energy Vibe. The Purists are back, and this time they're using the person Danny is closest to to eliminate him. DannyxEmily but there might be some DxS later.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

_A circle of ghosts floated around an old fashioned school desk. They seemed to be in an old classroom. An unused blackboard covered the better part of the front wall, erasers and chalk still sitting on its dusty ledge. On one of the numerous desks that sat facing the blackboard, an ancient and cracked globe sat. On another desk were spread out photos of three people: Emily Link, Sam Manson, and Tucker Foley. It was time to decide which one of these unsuspecting people would be the pawn for the metaphorical game of chess that these ghosts were playing. The goal: Capture the king-Danny Phantom-and dominate the world._

_Finally one of the group of ghosts broke the silence. _

_"What about that one?" He pointed at the picture of Sam Manson. The leader of the group paused for a moment, then shook his head._

_"No." Then more surely "No! She is too smart. We need someone who will not figure out our plan before we put it into effect." Silence fell on the group once again._

_"What about that one? He is very gullible." This time it was a woman ghost who spoke, a pretty young woman with dark hair down to her waist. She pointed to the picture of Tucker Foley._

_The leader didn't even hesitate this time._

_"No, no! He is too technological! Many a ghost has been defeated by his technological brilliance!" A murmur went through the room, as all the ghosts remembered all too well the times Skulker had come storming through the Ghost Zone, muttering about "that blasted purple-backed gorilla!" Then silence fell for a third time, and this time, it lasted longer than ever._

_"So does everybody agree?" The leader finally broke the silence. "She will be our pawn. The one who Phantom loves. The cripple. The one they call...Silver Lining." There were a few muttered yeses that quickly grew into a roaring chant._

_"Yes! Yes! Yes!" The leader smiled widely. Cupping his hands, he released a glowing energy blast. He fired and the blast hit the globe right in the middle of the old Soviet Union. The globe rose slowly into the air, stopping about midway to the ceiling, with a strange green glow about it. The leader rotated his hands, and the globe spun slowly._

_"This, my friends!" he said, raising his voice above the chanting. "Is what we will soon control-with the help of one unsuspecting Emily Link." The last thing he saw was the leader's evil smile..._

"Ah!" Danny Fenton woke with a start. He was coated in sweat, and his covers were tangled around him. He glanced at his bedroom clock. It said 1:33 A.M.

"Uggh." he groaned. He untangled himself from his bed covers and headed for the bathroom. Once there, he stared at himself in the mirror.

"It was just a dream...it was just a dream." he muttered. For some reason, he had a hard time shaking off the dream. It had seemed so..._real_. But dreams weren't real...were they?

"No. It was just a dream." Danny murmured to himself, until he almost had himself convinced. He went back to bed, resolving to forget about the dream. And this time, he fell back into a dreamless sleep.

A/N: New story! How'd you like it! I know it was kinda short. I was thinking of merging the first and second chapter together, but decided against it. Review, as always!


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

"So let me get this straight." Emily said as the four friends walked home from school that afternoon. Emily was best friends with Danny, Tucker and Sam, and she was sort of dating Danny. Neither of them had really dated before, so they were keeping it low key for now. All they really did was sometimes go out to the local McDonalds together, and occasionally the light-hearted kiss.

"You had some weird dream last night about some ghosts using me to get to you? Who _were_ these ghosts, anyway?" Danny roused himself out of his half-slumber to respond.

"Yeah, that was basically it. And I'm not sure who the group of ghosts was, but I have a feeling it was…" Danny hesitated, unsure whether he should send his friends into a panic over something that might not even happen. "…the Purists." The result was instantaneous. Sam and Emily gasped, and Tucker stopped in his tracks.

"The Purists? Danny, are you sure?" Sam said, her voice quavering slightly. Sam was especially fearful of the Purists, since their mysterious energy had sent her into a coma.

"Sam, it's OK, it's just a guess. I'm not even sure." Danny hastened to reassure her. Tucker looked up from his beloved PDA to add something.

"Plus, it _was_ only a dream." He pointed out. "It might be just that-a dream. With our past experiences with the Purists, I wouldn't be surprised if you had nightmares."

"True…" Danny mused. Everybody was so busy thinking about this latest puzzle that nobody noticed that Emily had fallen behind. With a swift _whoosh_, an invisible ghost plunged straight into Emily, knocking her off-balance. Then, she regained her balance and smiled, a very different smile from her usual spastic grimace. Her usually hazel eyes flashed red for a split second before they returned to their usual color. She smiled that cold smile again, then ran to catch up with the group. Since she was a swift runner for short distances, she soon caught up.

"Hey guys!" she said brightly. Her voice had an odd, false tone to it. Sam scanned her friend thoughtfully. She knew something wasn't quite right.

"Uh, Em?" she said cautiously. "Are you okay?" Emily grinned, a grin that made shivers go down Sam's spine. That was _definitely_ not Emily's grin.

"Sure, I'm fine!" she said cheerily. "Why wouldn't I be?" Sam opened her mouth to say something more, but was cut off by Danny's ghost sense jerking him out of a doze.

"Huh? What?" he said quickly, looking wildly around. Sam giggled.

"Wake up, stupid, there's a ghost in the area!" Danny changed into ghost form, still glancing around for the source of the ghost. Finding none, he was about to change back when a shrill cry pierced the air.

"I am the Box Ghost! I have been sent by one who promises to eliminate you mere mortals so I can harness the power of the many boxes you have in the mortal world!" Then the Box Ghost was suddenly silenced, and he disappeared with one last "Beware!" Danny changed back into human form, looking amused and slightly puzzled.

"Does he really think we don't know his name by now? That was easy. I didn't have to do anything. If only all ghosts were that easy…." Danny's words trailed off as he fell back to sleep with a loud snore. Sam sighed and poked her friend awake.

"Didn't you hear what the Box Ghost said? Besides his own name, I mean. He said 'I have been sent by one who promises to eliminate you mere mortals'! The only ghost we know of who wants to do that is the Purists! Something is going on, Danny, and we should find out what. Right Emily?" Sam looked around, expecting an affirmative answer. When none came, she glanced around. Emily was nowhere in sight.

"Emily?"

"Look!" Tucker bent over and picked up a scrap of paper from the ground. He read it softly aloud.

"Help. Purists overshadowing me. Can't resist. Help." It was written in a messy scrawl, as if it had been scribbled in a great hurry. Tucker slipped the paper into a slot on his PDA. Accompanied by a few whirring sounds, a beep sounded after a few seconds. Tucker squinted at the display on his PDA.

"It says the handwriting is…Emily's!" he gasped. Sam quickly prodded Danny awake.

"Danny!"

"Hmm…someone say my name?" he mumbled. Sam poked him even harder.

"Danny! _The Purists have got Emily_!"

A/N: Well, that was a slightly longer chapter. Not much happened, but then again it's the beginning of the story. Things will pick up within the next chapter or two. As always, review!


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

"This way." Danny said quietly, leading his friends through the twisting maze of the Ghost Zone. They were off to find the Purists who had overshadowed and kidnapped Emily.

"Danny, are you sure about this?" Sam whispered. They were speaking quietly as so not to disturb some of the less friendly ghosts who would be only too glad for a chance to fight Danny Phantom in _their_ territory.

"About where the Purists lurk?" Danny whispered back. "No. The one time I was in their lair I was pulled there through an energy portal, remember? But I remember it was an old schoolroom. So I'm assuming that it's somewhere near where Poindexter lived. And I have his lair marked on this map-" he held out the half-completed map of the Ghost Zone. "-so we'll probably find the Purists somewhere around there." Sam and Tucker glanced doubtingly at each other, but said nothing.

"Here it is." Danny breathed. They were standing in front of the old Casper High.

The old Casper High looked pretty much the same as the new one, with a few subtle differences. Broken windows that the school never wanted to pay to have fixed were now whole. The overgrown football field was now neatly trimmed. Everything looked...well, newer.

"I can't believe I'm coming back to Casper High-on the weekend!" Danny groaned. Everybody laughed, but it was a tense sort of laugh. Nobody could quite forget that they were here on a rescue mission. Danny broke the uncomfortable silence that followed by pointing up at the sole window that was dimly lit. It was on the top floor.

"That must be where the Purists have Emily!" And so the trio began quietly traipsing up to the top floor. The school was quiet, devoid of the '60's era ghosts who usually floated around there. Danny, Tucker and Sam still carefully placed their footsteps, though. You never knew who might be lurking around in the Ghost Zone.

After working their way up several flights of stairs, the trio finally arrived at the top floor. There was only one door on this floor. A dim yellow light emanated from the crack at the bottom of the door.

Danny pressed his ear to the door. There could be no sound heard. He gulped.

"Well...I guess this is it." he said, somewhat nervously. He reached out a trembling hand and turned the knob. The door swung open.

To their surprise, there was only one ghost in there, head bent low over an ancient book. He gave off an air of great wisdom, maybe because of his aged face and long white beard. He looked up and his expression betrayed no surprise. It was just...calm.

"Ah, Danny Phantom and friends. I have been expecting you." The ghost's voice was deep and calming, almost soothing.

Danny glared at the ghost. "Who are you and what have you done to Emily?" The words came out as an angry shout.

The ghost nodded his head slowly, an expression of slight amusement on his face.

"Patience, young Danny. That is what you must learn. Very well then. If you must know, I am Luke. I have been a member of the Purists for many years. And as for your friend, she has been taken to a location which I have been ordered not to disclose. The Purists have split up into factions, so as not to be found all in a group by you. Very wise, actually. It was my suggestion." The ghost started pacing back and forth across the deserted schoolroom, and then went on.

"You know, Danny, the ancient texts predict a halfa, very young, but very strong and powerful. It predicts that this halfa will someday try to put a stop to the Purists tireless efforts to rid the world of mortals once and for all. Whether or not the halfa will be successful is still undecipherable. Although the name of the halfa is not mentioned, I and my fellow Purists believe that halfa is you, Danny Phantom. Now I must leave. Good luck on your journey." And, in a puff of white smoke, he was gone. Danny picked up the book that Luke had been studying and flipped through the pages. They seemed to be written in a strange language. Latin, maybe? Danny wasn't sure. Tucker and Sam came over and peered over his shoulder.

"This is a perfect time to test my new language translation software!" Tucker exclaimed. Sam and Danny stood by while Tucker ran his PDA over the page Danny was staring at. Once the translation was complete, Tucker read the translation from his PDA in a hushed voice.

"The power known as overshadowing is usually temporary. Sooner or later the ghost is expelled from the person's body, whether it is from the person's own strength, or from an external force. However, there is a way to make an overshadowing permanent. In order to do this, the person being controlled must visit the Ancient One. The Ancient One is an old and powerful ghost. He possesses all the wisdom in the Ghost Zone. If he does the Bonding Ritual over an overshadowed mortal, that overshadowing is now permanent. Nothing can expel the ghost from the person's body once the Bonding Ritual is completed." Tucker looked up in amazement and met equally amazed stares from Tucker and Sam.

"Look." Sam's voice was barely a whisper. Tucker and Danny looked closer at the ancient book and saw a glimmer of pink text. It shimmered against the yellowed page. It was only one word.

"_Yes_." Sam read in awe. Danny was pacing back and forth, wending his way between rows of old desks.

"This is it!" he said. "Emily sent us a message through this book. Remember how she was acting weird right before she was kidnapped? She was being overshadowed by a Purist! This is where they're taking her. They're taking her to the Ancient One...to be _bonded_."

There was silence for a moment, and then Sam voiced a question.

"But where _is_ the Ancient One?" Tucker scanned frantically through the translated pages.

"It doesn't say!" he said in frustration. Sam's jaw was set firmly.

"Then we have to find out. For Emily."

A/N: Wow, that was actually one of my longer chapters, almost two pages. More things happened in this chapter. Now the story is starting to take shape. As always, review!


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

"So, what better place to find this Ancient One then a church?" Danny concluded later that day. We were sprawled out in Danny's room, listening to the various clanking and clicking emanating from the basement as Danny's parents invented yet another ghost invention.

"It _does_ make sense..." Sam said slowly. "I mean, this guy is supposed to perform all these ancient rituals and stuff. And the only place that really makes sense is a church."

"But how do we find a ghost church?" Tucker reminded them. Sam looked over at Danny, who shrugged.

"I don't know. I guess we just...wait! I have an idea!" And with that, Danny leapt off the bed and out of sight. Sam followed close behind, leaving a very confused Tucker still on the bed.

"Wow. I just realized this is the first time I've actually gone _looking_ for a ghost. Usually they find me, not the other way around." Danny said. The trio was wandering around Amity Park, looking for a ghost that they could either trick or bribe into telling them where the Ancient One's church was.

Suddenly Danny's ghost sense went off. Danny turned around, immediately alert and morphed into ghost form.

"I am the Box Ghost!" came the tireless cry. Danny groaned.

"Don't you ever shut up?" he yelled in annoyance. Danny prepared to suck the Box Ghost into the Fenton Thermos.

"Noo! Not your cylindrical contraption of doom!" The Box Ghost howled in panic. Suddenly the look in Danny's eyes went from frustrated and annoyed to excited and uncertain.

"Hey, Box Ghost." he said slowly, carefully closing the thermos. "Do you know of a ghost called the Ancient One? Where does he perform his ceremonies?"

"The Ancient One is the oldest and most powerful of all ghosts! I have been instructed not to reveal his whereabouts!" Danny snorted.

"Does he know that you can't keep a secret for your life? Or should I say _afterlife_?" Danny opened the Fenton Thermos again.

"All right! I will tell you!" The Box Ghost howled again. "The Ancient One's church is located deep in the center of the Ghost Zone! _BEWARE_!" he screamed as he was finally sucked into the Fenton Thermos. Danny turned his attention back to Tucker and Sam, who had been watching the scene with interest.

"So gullible." he said, laughing. Then his expression darkened. "Now we know where the Ancient One's church is. I just hope we won't be too late to save Emily from being bonded with a Purist."

"Danny, are we almost there?" Sam asked impatiently. They were deep within the Ghost Zone. Tucker was tracking with his PDA to make sure they were on the right path, and Danny was in the lead.

"If my calculations about the center of the Ghost Zone are correct, we should be seeing the church right about..." They rounded a corner.

"Now." Tucker finished. The trio stopped for a few minutes and stared at the sight in front of them.

It was a beautiful church, majestic and elegant. The sign of the cross rose high into the endless sky. The colorful stained glass windows were fitted in half-circle frames, giving the church that air of wisdom and tranquility.

"Well, this is it." Danny said. The three friends looked at each other and knew that they were all thinking the same thing: It would take a miracle to save Emily.

A/N: A little shorter then my usual chapters but I thought it turned out pretty good. Sorry I haven't updated in a few weeks, it took me awhile to figure out the plot for this chapter and then write it. But now I think I have the plot for the rest of the story basically worked out. As always, review!


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Danny reached out a trembling hand, and the door swung open.

It looked like a usual church, with an altar at the front and pews filling the back. But the pews were inhabited by various ghosts, and at the altar were one human, and one ghost.

"_The Ancient One_." Sam breathed. The Ancient One looked almost like God himself. He seemed to be very old, with long white hair flowing down his back, and a long white beard that almost reached the floor. He was wearing some sort of ceremonial robes, crimson velvet. Kneeling before him was Emily.

She was in ghost form, dressed in her usual black and hot pink hazmat suit. Her bright blue eyes gazed up at the Ancient One. Only a single tear on her cheek gave any sign that she had any awareness about what was happening.

"We have gathered here today to bond together this human girl and this ghost, namely Jeremiah Bates, of the Purists. Although this is being done against the human's will-" the Ancient One added with a glare at the Purists in the front pew. "-I, as the oldest, wisest, and most powerful ghost in the Ghost Zone, cannot be biased. Now if we will all please remain silent while the ritual is performed...I can proceed." Now the quiet muttering of the ghosts watching died down, until the church was completely silent. The Ancient One began to speak in a rhythmic, steady tone, almost a chant.

The language was strange, unfamiliar to the three friends. Danny found himself transfixed by the chanting as Tucker whispered aloud the English translation from his PDA.

"Let today be the day that these two are bonded. Let today be the day we are freed. Let today be the day that we are one step closer to our ultimate goal, which is different for each of us. For some it is complete control over the human world, as we had in the ancient times. For others it is almost the opposite, the simple wish that humans, halfas and ghosts will coexist peacefully together. But the one goal shared by all is to be free. For many years now, ghosts have been shunned, exiled to the Ghost Zone. People believe we are something to fear. But with a Bondage performed, ghosts _can_ be freed. People will not suspect ghosts if they look like humans. People are only suspicious of us if we _look_ like what we are-ghosts. But if a ghost and human are Bonded together, each one of us will achieve our goal. For the peace wishers, they can work together with their human, existing in harmony, sharing life with each other. For the old-timers, they can have full control if they want, with the human just watching helplessly. And for all of us, we can be freed from the prison of the Ghost Zone. We can step out into the world without the fear of being captured, examined, and sent back to the Ghost Zone. We can experience life again. Let us now say the traditional chant."

It started out as a quiet whisper, like fall leaves rustling along the ground. "Life, life, life, life." the ghosts whispered. Then it became a crescendo, growing louder and louder, until each ghost was chanting as loud as they could.

"LIFE, LIFE, LIFE, LIFE!" Danny was broken out of his trance by a hard shove by Sam.

"Nice going, Einstein! You're going to let Emily be Bonded!" Danny shook his head to clear it of the echoing words, and formed a ball of green ectoplasmic energy in the palm of his hand. He aimed it at Emily. The ghosts were still chanting. He really didn't want to do this...but it was the only way he could think of to save Emily. He fired the ball of energy. It hit Emily square in the chest.

The force of the ball knocked Emily onto her back, where she lay still. The Purist overshadowing her flew out her body and through the far wall. The chanting stopped in the middle of the word. The Ancient One glared at Danny.

"Fool! How dare you interfere with my ritual! When the chant of life is stopped before it is finished, the Bonding Ritual is only partway completed! It is ruined! Ruined!" Danny gave the Ancient One a withering look.

"That was the point. Gee, for the oldest and wisest ghost in the Ghost Zone, you're not very smart." The Ancient One looked even angrier at this. He rose higher into the air to be at eye-level with Danny.

"How dare...you question...my POWER!" The Ancient One roared. A blast of red energy flew like lightning from the Ancient One's hand and knocked Danny out of the air. Danny's head connected with the marbled floor of the church with a sickening crack. He changed back to human form and lay there, unmoving.

Sam panicked. Here they were, two ordinary humans facing a roomful of ghosts. And the only two people who could possibly help them were unconscious. She had just enough time to register that before the Ancient One spoke again.

"I don't want to kill you two." he said, with a sinister grin. "After all, _you_ weren't the ones who questioned my power and authority. But I will do _this_." A bright blue blast of energy hit Sam right in the chest. As she started to fall, an identical blast hit Tucker. Then everything went black.

"Sam? Sam, wake up!" Sam came to and saw Emily bending over her. She looked perfectly fine. Hopefully the ritual hadn't had any lasting effects.

"Emily!" Sam gasped. "You're okay!" She glanced around the room. All was silent. The Ancient One was gone, as were the ghosts that had previously occupied the pews. Tucker was sitting up, looking her way. Danny was still lying motionless next to her. Emily smiled her usual, caring, compassionate smile that brought tears of gratitude to Sam's eyes.

"Yeah, I'm okay. The question is, are _you_?" Sam mentally examined herself. Other than feeling a bit sore, and slightly nauseous, she felt all right. She reached behind her and felt a large lump on the back of her head where it had hit the floor.

"I'm basically okay." Emily helped Sam to her feet. Tucker was already getting up. For a moment, everything seemed like it would be okay. Then, with a sickening feeling, the memory of everything that had happened rushed back to her.

"Emily!" she said urgently. "Emily, you have to save Danny!" Emily looked down at the floor and shook her head.

"No." Sam's eyes narrowed in puzzlement.

"Yes, you have to!" Emily shook her head again.

"No."

"_You're_ the one with the most powerful healing powers in the universe! You love Danny, you know he'll die without you. _YOU HAVE TO SAVE HIM_!" Sam's voice was now rising in a panicked crescendo. Emily shook her head a third time, tears coming to her hazel eyes.

"No. I'm sorry, but I can't. I want to, but I can't."

"Well why the hell not! You've saved his life countless times before, what's the problem?" Sam yelled in frustration. The tears started flowing down Emily's face.

"Em, what's wrong?" Sam asked in concern, her voice softer now. The tears started flowing faster.

"The Bonding Ritual didn't completely leave me unscathed." Emily said softly, looking down at her feet. "The ritual wasn't completed, but there was one effect. The Bonding Ritual took away my healing powers."

A/N: Wow, that was a long chapter, a little more than two pages. Anyway, I am SO SORRY I didn't update in, like, months. I was busy working on my Star Trek story and my new Harry Potter story, Poems of a Cripple. But I'm updating now, so did you like it? Please, as always, Review!


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Sam stared at her.

"You're kidding, right?" she said in disbelief, even though she could tell that Emily wasn't lying. Emily was a horrible liar. Emily shook her head slowly, a teardrop falling to the floor.

Sam started pacing the floor restlessly, panic evident in her eyes. Tucker watched silently. Emily turned her back on her friends and started to sob.

"What do we do?" Sam said in desperation. Her step quickened as she paced the floor more furiously.

"We can't take him to a hospital, what if they take a blood sample? They'll discover he's half ghost!" she continued. "What do we do? _What do we do_!" Sam sank to the floor beside Danny's lifeless body, now beginning to cry just as hard as Emily. Tucker watched the scene unfolding in front of him, and fought the urge to laugh. Sam didn't cry. Sam never cried. Goth girls didn't cry.

But she was crying now. Salty tears flowed freely off her cheeks and onto Danny's red and white t-shirt. Emily had buried herself in a corner and her sobs were muffled, as she was facing the wall.

Tucker looked from one crying girl to the other, and then to Danny. He started formulating a plan in his head. Danny was still breathing, but just barely. If he kept standing here gaping like an idiot, his best friend would be dead within hours.

"Stop crying, already!" he yelled in frustration. The girls, obviously shocked at his outburst, quieted down and turned their tearstained faces towards him.

"Listen, I'm just as upset and desperate as you guys are, don't think I'm not. Danny's my best friend, and if he dies, I'm making sure he doesn't die on a cold floor of a church in the Ghost Zone! So, here's my plan. We just take Danny home, and put him in his own bed. We'll take turns watching over Danny, and trying to find out what that blast of red energy was. That was what knocked him unconscious. So, it only makes sense to research it. All right? Now pull yourselves together and help me get Danny out of the Ghost Zone."

Sam sniffled, and flicked a tear off her face. "Tucker's right." she said, wiping her eyes. She looked a mess, with swollen, puffy eyes, a runny nose, and black makeup running down her face. But the expression on her face was determined.

"Em?" Sam said gently. "You going to be okay?" Emily nodded silently, even though she was not at all sure if she could pull herself together enough to help her friends. But she was certainly going to try.

Tucker heaved Danny's body off the floor and cradled him in his arms. With the girls help, he carried his best friend out of the church and into the outside atmosphere of the Ghost Zone.

It was a long and slow journey through the Ghost Zone. Familiar enemies of Danny cackled in delight to see the famed ghost boy so helpless. But it was, for the most part, a smooth journey. Emily was looking like she was about ready to pass out herself when they finally reached the doors of the Ghost Portal.

Sam had hoped that they wouldn't pass Danny's parents as they carried him upstairs, but she was wrong.

"What on earth happened?" Maddie Fenton asked in concern as they passed on the stairs.

"Does it have to do with ghosts?" Jack demanded.

"Uh...Danny fell asleep at my house." Sam improvised quickly. "We thought we'd bring him home."

Sam sighed and shook her head as they struggled up the stairs. Danny's parents were always so obsessed with ghosts. How could she tell them that this one really _was_ the work of ghosts?

They got Danny settled in his bed. Once he was supposedly comfortable, the three friends looked at each other.

"Well?" Sam asked expectantly. "What do we do now?" Tucker shrugged.

"I guess I'll stay with him for now." Emily said softly. Sam nodded.

"OK. I have to be getting home, myself."

"So do I." added Tucker.

Emily watched her friends leave, and then looked at the still-unconscious Danny.

"Oh Danny." she whispered in his ear, starting to cry once more. "I love you so much. I feel so helpless. Whenever you got yourself into a desperate situation, I was always there with my healing powers to save you. Now my healing powers are gone, and so is a part of my heart, the part that belongs to you. None of this ever would have happened if I hadn't been weak enough to let a ghost overpower me like that. It's all my fault." Just as she said that, she became intangible and slid through the seat of her chair, by accident. She flickered back to tangibility just before she hit the carpet.

"Ow." Emily said, rubbing her sore bottom. "Now my other powers are going haywire. I guess it's because you're not here to help me with my powers. Oh, dear God, what else could go wrong?" She buried her head in Danny's t-shirt and started to sob again.

Just then, a deep voice came out of nowhere.

"Silver Lining," it boomed. Emily looked up in surprise.

"How do you know my name?" she queried, hastily wiping her eyes.

"That is not important. I have an urgent message for you. The Ghost Zone is in disarray. The Ancient One has disappeared, and without his calm leadership and guidance, different groups of ghosts are fighting each other for control of the Ghost Zone, and eventually, the human world. You are the only one who can reunite the broken Ghost Zone."

"Who _are_ you?" Emily asked in amazement. She saw the shadows flicker, as if the source of the voice was impatiently waving a hand to the side.

"You do not need to know who I am. All you need to do is find the Ancient One. He will take care of the rest."

"But why _me_?" Emily meant for that to be calm and intelligent, but it came out more on a squeak. The voice sighed.

"_Because_, you are the only trustworthy halfa. Danny Phantom is, of course, unable to do the job, and Vlad Plasmius is untrustworthy. You are, in conclusion, the only halfa left." An important question came to Emily's mind.

"Why should I help you?" There was a pause before the voice spoke again.

"Because, if you find the Ancient One, he will be the only one able to restore your healing powers. You can save your friend." Emily made up her mind right then and there. This was the only way she could save Danny.

"All right." she said determinedly. "I'll do it."

A/N: Wow, I'm on a roll with the chapter length. Two chapters in a row were more than two pages. As always, review!


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Sam got up early the next morning. She was eager to see if Danny had awakened, and if Emily had pulled herself together yet. She pulled on her customary purple and black outfit and tiptoed quietly down the stairs, so as not to awaken her sleeping parents. Once outside, she pulled out her phone and called Tucker.

"Hmm?" Tucker answered sleepily.

"Tucker, it's me. Listen, I wanted to check on Danny and Emily. Want to come with me?"

"Uh-huh." Now Tucker sounded a bit more awake. "I'll meet you outside Danny's house in fifteen minutes."

"Good. See you there." Sam began a jog towards Danny's house. She didn't know why, but she had a weird sense of foreboding. When she arrived, Tucker was already there.

"Um...I guess we should go in now." Tucker said. His voice trembled a little bit, and Sam wondered if he was feeling the same strange sense of foreboding as she was.

They got inside and tiptoed quietly up to Danny's room. It was still early, and Sam knew that both Danny's parents, as well as Emily, were probably still sleeping.

Tucker reached the top of the stairs first. He turned the doorknob, and the door swung open. But once the sight inside was revealed; Tucker stopped in the doorway and stared. Sam nearly ran right into him.

"Tucker!" she whispered irritably. "Would you watch where you're go-" Her sentence was abruptly cut off, as she finally saw what Tucker was staring at.

Danny's room looked much the same as the way they had left it last night. Danny was in his bed, apparently still in a coma. But the chair that Emily had pulled up to Danny's bedside was vacant, and there was no sign of her.

"But...where's Emily?" Sam said slowly in confusion. She glanced around the room, as if expecting that any minute Emily would jump out of the closet and yell "Surprise!" Tucker, meanwhile, had entered the room and knelt by Emily's empty chair.

"Look! There's a note!" He held up a folded piece of paper. Sam finally walked into the room and knelt beside Tucker. Together, they unfolded the paper and began to read. It was written in a messy scrawl.

_Tucker, Sam, and Danny if you're awake,_

_I know you must be confused and worried about my disappearance. But you have nothing to worry about. I have been given the chance by a mysterious ghost to save Danny and recover my lost healing powers. I'm not going to tell you how I'm going to do this, as I'm not quite sure myself. But I'll do anything to help Danny get through this, because I love him. Now, I know what you're thinking, Sam. You're thinking that I shouldn't have gone off with a mysterious ghost, and that it's not safe, and you're probably laughing right now because I know exactly what you'll be thinking. But please, don't come looking for me. I'm not a baby; I can take care of myself. Besides, I brought the ghost crutches with me._

Sam glanced over at the wall where Emily had left her ghost crutches the night before, and confirmed that they were gone.

_So, as I said, don't come looking for me. I know what I'm doing (I hope)._

_Love,_

_Emily_

"How could she do this!" Sam exploded. "It's totally not safe for her to go off with some strange ghost! What is she going to do? Oh, god, we have to go looking for her." Sam made a half-turn towards the door, as if ready to go looking for Emily that very second, but Tucker took her firmly by the elbow.

"No." he said. "We're not going to look for her."

"Tucker, how could you be so-" Sam started, but was interrupted by Tucker placing a hand over her mouth.

"Like I said, we're not going to go look for her. She said not to, and she's our friend. We have to respect her wishes. Besides, she _does_ have the ghost crutches with her, and they're pretty fancy." Tucker took his hand away from Sam's mouth. "Now you may speak." Sam glared at him.

"I don't believe you, Tucker! She _is_ our friend, and we need to help her if she's in trouble! I'll bet all my black clothes that this ghost has her locked up somewhere, without her ghost crutches, and she's totally helpless!"

"Sam, we don't have proof of that." Tucker said reasonably.

"Fine, Tucker. If you want to sit back, and watch _two_ of our best friends die, fine with me! But I'm actually going to do _something_. Goodbye, Tucker!" And with that, Sam stomped out of the room, slamming the door behind her.

A/N: As us Jewish people say, oy! Sam and Tucker are fighting, Danny's in a coma, Emily's who-knows-where, what else can go wrong? Sorry it took SO LONG for me to update, I needed to work out some of the details for the rest of the story. As always, review!


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

"I don't care what Tucker says." Sam fumed as soon as she was out the door. "Emily's in trouble and I'm going to find her. After all, that's what friends do...right?" She sounded a bit unsure of herself, and her words lingered in the still air. Not allowing time for the guilt to wash over her, she swiftly retreated to save her best friend.

Emily followed the ghost downstairs to the Ghost Portal. The ghost had no definite form; it was just a flicker of shadow, barely even there. As you needed the thumbprint of a member of the Fenton family to open the doors, the ghost simply went_ through _the doors. Emily did the same. As she did, she heard a faint chuckle from the formless ghost in front of her.

"The boy's idiot parents never bothered to make the doors ghost-proof." the ghost muttered with an accompanying chuckle. Emily felt a surge of annoyance rise up inside of her. Danny's parents were _not_ idiots! Well, his dad was, but his mom was smart!

"Stop your useless thoughts." the ghost said in a bored voice. _Oh god, can this ghost can read my mind!_ Emily thought in a panic. When she gaped at the formless shadow in front of her, though, the ghost just chuckled again.

"It was written all over your face what you were thinking." he reassured her. Emily relaxed again. She followed the ghost through the maze of the Ghost Zone. As he led her through more twists and turns, the uneasy feeling in her stomach grew. Her stomach finally sank to her feet when he stopped in a ghost alley that was extremely chilly.

"You...you're not here to help me save Danny, are you?" Emily asked quietly, her voice trembling from a mixture of fear and cold. The ghost laughed again, a short, sharp bark.

"No." He finally materialized all the way, and Emily could just make out what he looked like in the dim light of the alley. He was tall, with a pale face and pointed nose. His hair was black, elegantly coiled into a neat spiral at the nape of his neck. He wore a long black cape that trailed along the ground.

"I'm here to kill you." He drew a long dagger from the folds of his cloak. It was terrifyingly sharp. Emily gulped. _Oh, this can't be good_, she thought stupidly. She groped around for her ghost crutches, only to find empty space.

"Oh, are you looking for your crutches?" The ghost smiled a sadistic and malicious smirk. "I got rid of those when we got here."

"No!" Emily's voice rose in a panicked crescendo. "Ghost crutches, activate!" she commanded. There was nothing, no light from her ghost crutches glowing in the dark, no noise as they activated. "Ghost crutches, _activate_!" Emily's voice became more urgent. Still nothing.

"See?" The ghost spoke again, sneering. He moved closer, the dagger only inches from Emily's chest.

"Without you, Danny will become weaker, as you became weaker without his help. You two are a team, a force, a bond. It was created the moment you met...and will only be broken if one of you dies." The ghost moved even closer, the dagger now just barely brushing Emily's black and pink hazmat suit. "And that, my dear, is what I intend to do. You will be the downfall of the one you love."

"_No_!" Emily barely had time to hear herself scream before the dagger plunged into her chest and there was nothing.

_Back at Danny's house..._

"No." Tucker groaned, leaning against the wall of Danny's bedroom. "No...why did I have to say that? Now Sam is going to go after Emily to prove that I'm wrong. I have to stop her...otherwise _both_ of them might be in danger." And without another word, he tore off after Sam.

And a few minutes later, Danny woke up.

A/N: I know this was kinda a short chapter, but its hard to come up with new ideas when you're not REVIEWING! It doesn't take much. I don't care if its one word. Just REVIEW!


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

When Emily woke up, she was in complete darkness. She tried to use her senses to analyze the situation. She felt something cold and hard under her back...her back. So she was lying down, then. Her chest ached and burned. All of a sudden, the terrifying events came back to her. She remembered the ghost who had promised her that if she followed him, Danny would be saved and she would get her healing powers back...the alleyway...and most terrifying of all, the dagger. Her stomach sank. Surely she was too late to save Danny. Surely her one true love was dead by now.

"Danny..." she whispered, pressing a hand to her mouth. "I'm so sorry..." Then there was a rustling, and then a voice.

"Emily! Oh my god, are you okay?" It was Sam.

"Sam?" Emily croaked hoarsely, slightly relieved that her normal voice still worked. A minute later, light shone into Emily's face. She squinted, and could just make out Sam's worried face.

"Oh my god, Em, I was sooo worried. You've been unconscious for nearly two days!"

"Two...days?" Emily croaked, trying to make sense of the situation. Sam nodded. Then another thought struck her.

"Sam...where are we?"

"Well, we're in the Ghost Zone...somewhere. I'm not exactly sure where. When I found you on the ground bleeding, I didn't stop to think about where we were going. I just sort of picked you up and ran. It wasn't easy carrying you _and _the flashlight. Good thing you're not very heavy." Emily suddenly realized the source of the light shining on her face came from a flashlight in Sam's hand.

"Wait." Emily said suddenly. "You _found_ me? In the _Ghost Zone_? Sam! I told you not to come looking for me! I can take care of myself!"

"Well, you weren't doing a very good job of taking care of yourself when I found you on the ground with a dagger sticking out of your chest!" Sam argued. Emily shrugged.

"True. Anyway, Sam, how are we going to get out of this? And what did you do with the dagger?" Emily asked.

"I have no clue. And I threw it somewhere over there." Sam gestured vaguely with the flashlight. Emily spied the dagger lying a few feet away, crusted over with blood-_her _blood.

"Sam...We have to keep the dagger. It might be our only clue." Emily then proceeded to tell Sam the whole story of the ghost, from the moment he had appeared in Danny's room to the moment he had thrust the dagger in her chest. When she was done, Sam shook her head in amazement.

"Wow, Em." was all she could say. Then another thought crossed Emily's mind, one that had fled to the back of her mind when Sam had found her.

"Sam." she said, pushing herself into a sitting position, and wincing at the pain in her chest. "_What happened to Danny_? Is he still alive? Please, Sam, tell me the truth. I need to know." Sam's purple eyes betrayed surprise. Apparently she hadn't been expecting that question.

"Emily...Danny's OK, as far as I know. He was still in a coma when I left. I don't know if anything's changed." Emily's muscles relaxed a bit with the wave of relief that swept over her.

"OK. I'm glad about that. Now, let's get out of here." Sam helped Emily up, and together they started off towards what could only be described as an uncertain future.

"'From, Emily'" Danny finished Emily's note, gasping for breath. Ever since he had woken up, he had been short of breath, but that seemed to be the only effect the strange blast had had on him.

"Sam and Tucker probably went after Emily." he realized suddenly. _Well, I'm not going to be the one left out of this heroic rescue_, he thought. So, changing into ghost form, he flew straight through the wall, still wheezing all the way.

A/N: Kinda short, but again, practically nobody's reviewing! Thank you to enigmatic penguin for being the ONLY one to review last chapter. Now, I expect you all to review, or else Emily will go after you with her ghost crutches! brandishes ghost crutches angrily


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

After nearly crashing to the ground for what seemed like the millionth time because he was too tired and ill to think straight, Danny decided to take a break. He had been feeling more and more short of breath the longer he searched for his friends, and he suspected that soon he would pass out. On top of all that, he was totally lost. His situation seemed pretty hopeless at the moment. He sat down on a ghost rock and a few tears trickled down his face. Danny Fenton was not normally a boy who cried, but with all the things going on right now, he couldn't help himself. He was so busy staring at the ground and feeling sorry for himself, he didn't notice the dog until a rough tongue lapped the tears sliding faster and faster down his cheeks. Danny looked up, and could just make out through the tears an overeager green ghost puppy, wagging his tail excitedly. He chucked softly.

"Hey, Cujo, boy!" Danny scooped up the dog and held him close to his face, letting his tears fall into the ectoplasmic fur. Soon, though, he realized the sobbing was not comforting him, but instead making him feel more hopeless, and on top of that, more out of breath. He choked and gasped for breath to no avail. An overwhelming sense of panic overtook him. He tried to struggle against the drowning lack of air, take a nice deep breath, but he couldn't. He heard Cujo barking frantically as his vision blurred again, this time from lack of oxygen. He let go of the puppy and tore at his chest, trying to remove the non-existent bands of steel that were tightening across his lungs. _Is this the end? _Danny wondered through the panic. _Am I going to die here, alone and lost in the Ghost Zone, with only a ghost puppy to witness my passing? Wait...that's it! Cujo! He can get help!_

"Cujo!" he gasped, noticing the Fenton BOOmerang lying forgotten on the ground. He must have taken it with him without realizing it. "Find...Sam...and...Emily. And...Tucker...too. Lead...them...to...me." His hand stretched out weakly and clasped the BOOmerang loosely. He threw it-or more like dropped it-a couple inches away, which was all he could manage when he couldn't breathe. "Go...get it...boy." Danny could just make out Cujo's frenzied yipping before his eyes rolled back in his head and he passed out.

"Are you okay, Emily?" Sam asked in concern, for she had noticed that Emily was walking slower and slower. It was late afternoon, and they had been wandering around in the Ghost Zone nearly all day. Emily had no idea where her ghost crutches were. She suspected that the ghost who had tried to kill her had destroyed them. Unfortunately, traipsing through the Ghost Zone without her crutches was nearly impossible for her. Her feet were killing her. She hadn't complained before now, because she knew it was probably the only way they were going to get out of this hopeless situation.

"Yeah...I'm just really tired." Emily said quietly. Sam looked worried, but said nothing as they continued on. Both of them had a strange feeling they were walking in circles, but the battery on the flashlight had died long ago and there wasn't much light in the Ghost Zone to see by. Suddenly, a sudden voice pierced the unusual silence of the Ghost Zone, making Emily jump.

"You guys need some help?" Emily squinted through the darkness, but could not find the source of the voice. Sam shook the flashlight vigorously until it produced a dim light. It was just enough for them to see the speaker: Danielle, or Dani, Danny's "cousin". She was originally a product of Vlad's, meant to be a female clone of Danny Phantom. But she developed a mind of her own, and soon figured out, with Danny's help, that Vlad was planning to replace her as soon as he made a better clone. Since then, she had fled from the Masters' household, and hadn't been seen since. Until now, that was.

"Dani! Oh thank god you're here!" Emily gasped in relief. Sam said nothing, but merely scowled. She was still a bit suspicious of Danielle. After all, she _did_ try to destroy Danny. But Sam couldn't be picky at this time, not when they were so desperate for the exact thing Dani offered: help.

"Can you get us a way out of here?" Sam asked. She just wanted things to be back to _normal_, for god's sake! But then again, when your best friend was half ghost, things were _never_ normal. Danielle nodded.

"Yeah. Follow me." Emily let out a groan.

"How much walking do we have to do?" she demanded. Sam looked at her.

"Em...can't you just fly? You _do_ have ghost powers, remember?" That was true, but Emily was ready for that suggestion.

"First of all, I'm not good at flying without my ghost crutches. I can fly, but I have really bad balance when I fly, just like when I walk. Plus, ever since Danny's been in a coma, my powers have been going haywire. I can never be sure anymore that they won't malfunction." Dani looked from one girl to the other.

"Danny's in a _coma_! Am I missing something here?" Sam sighed. It seemed it was up to her to explain things. She started to begin telling the story of how they had gotten themselves into this mess, but Dani interrupted.

"Hey, Emily, you want me to carry you? You look really tired." Emily blushed. Usually she would refuse any help, preferring to do everything herself. But she was on the brink of exhaustion and couldn't fight any longer.

"Sure...but can you really carry me?" Dani nodded.

"Sure! I have super strength and super endurance. My scum of a father made me to be superior in every way to the _real _Danny Phantom." And without further ado, she transformed into ghost form, changing into a sleek half black, half white hazmat suit. Her hair fell down her shoulders as she bent down and scooped Emily into her arms. Sam and Dani made sure Emily was comfortable before continuing to walk on.

DPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDP

Tucker was tired. He had been chasing after Sam all day, and now he was tired, lost, and beginning to think this wasn't such a good idea after all. He sank down on a rock, and tried to figure out a plan. He could try and find his way out. After all, he _did_ have that partially completed map of the Ghost Zone saved on his PDA. But then Sam and Emily _both_ might be in danger. And he couldn't knowingly leave them in possible danger...could he?

Why were things always so complicated? Ever since Danny had become half-ghost, things had become incredibly complicated and confusing. There was never a straight, simple answer; it was always a maze of lies, deception, and cover-ups. God, if he thought _he_ was confused, being a halfa's best friend, think of what Danny might be going through, being the actual halfa in question. He couldn't even imagine.

Ever since Emily had come into the picture, things had become even more complicated and out of control. Not that he was blaming Em for any of the things that had happened since the gang had met her, far from it. He loved Emily like a sister, and was amazed at her spunky spirit. He wasn't sure he could maintain that kind of an attitude if he'd been through all she had gone through. He hated seeing her tired. It was like a weak parody of a "normal" fourteen year old. She'd drag her legs, leaning heavily on her crutch. She'd get terrible muscle spasms in her legs that ached unbearably. And through it all, she still found the energy to smile and make a sarcastic remark. That was Emily for you. Go figure. Tucker could see why Danny loved her so much.

He pitied her, though he kept that thought private, knowing Emily would kill him if she ever found out. Her attitude was that disabled people shouldn't be pitied. Tucker could sort of see why. Pity must get pretty annoying. And speaking of annoying...what was that damn yipping?

A minute later, he found out, as he was faced with the overeager puppy Danny had dubbed Cujo, wagging his tail excitedly and holding the Fenton BOOmerang in his mouth. Tucker patted the ghost puppy absentmindedly, his thoughts still on his friends. A deep growl brought him out of his daydreams. Cujo the puppy had grown into Cujo the ferocious guard dog, still holding the BOOmerang in his teeth.

"Down, Cujo!" Tucker commanded frantically. A minute later, the puppy was back.

"OK, you've got my attention." he gasped weakly, sinking back onto his rock. "What do you want?" As a response, Cujo dropped the saliva-covered Fenton BOOmerang onto Tucker's lap. Tucker picked it up and wiped the drool off on his shirt, turning it over and over as if he'd never seen it before.

"The Fenton BOOmerang..." he said slowly, processing his thoughts. It was probably still keyed into Danny's DNA...it was worth a shot. Tucker stood up and threw the BOOmerang as hard as he could.

"Um...go get it?" he asked, unsure. The puppy gave an affirmative yip and obeyed, chasing the BOOmerang with great leaps and bounds. And Tucker had no choice, but to follow.

DPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDP

About fifteen minutes later, Sam was finishing up her story.

"So I went after Emily because I didn't want her to get herself in danger, and I found Emily on the ground bleeding with that dagger sticking out of her chest! So then we were trying to find a way out of here when you showed up." Sam summarized. Dani nodded thoughtfully.

"Can I see the dagger?" she asked. Sam nodded and handed it over. Dani shifted Emily gently so she would have a free hand. Once she had the dagger, Danielle examined it thoroughly with her eyes, tracing the carved symbol on the handle with her fingertips. Her eyes widened with recognition.

"This is Vlad's symbol!" she squeaked. She was so shocked that she nearly dropped Emily, but recovered her just in time.

"_WHAT_!" Emily and Sam gasped in unison. Dani nodded.

"Yeah. I'm sure of it. After all he is my _ex_-father." Danielle put a snarl into the last word. She hated calling Vlad Plasmius her father. She shifted Emily again and showed the girls the symbol on the handle, a backwards P made into a V.

"Is Vlad a member of the Purists?" Emily wondered.

"Technically, yes." Danielle informed them. "He's half-ghost, but he pretends he's full ghost. After all, he would love to destroy Danny, and that's what these Purists love to do. He only joined after he heard that they were after Danny Phantom."

"Typical Vlad." Sam muttered. But before she could say anything more, her toe stubbed something soft. At that precise moment, the dim light from the flashlight went out.

"Typical. As soon as we actually _need_ the light, it goes out." Sam muttered as she shook the flashlight trying to get it started again. Finally a faint light came from the flashlight, enough for the three girls to see what lay below them. Emily gasped, Sam went pale, and Dani looked horror-stricken.

"Oh my god!" Emily said softly. "It's Danny!" Indeed it was. He lay sprawled on the ground, eyes closed, face pale and slightly blue. He was in human form, although Emily suspected he had changed back when he passed out. His arms lay limply across his chest. But before the girls could do anything more, there came a noise and a minute later the Fenton BOOmerang sailed into view. Tucker came jogging along behind it, accompanied by Cujo, his tail wagging happily. Tucker looked down at Danny, and gasped. Then, he looked up and finally noticed the girls, who had been staring at him.

"What are you doing here?" all four teens demanded simultaneously.

"What are _you_ doing here?" they answered each other in unison.

"I was looking for Emily. I found her, and Dani found us and was helping us find a way out." Sam answered first. "Now, tell me what you're doing here."

"I was looking for _you_. Cujo-and the BOOmerang-led me here." Tucker replied. Then all four seemed to realize that what they really needed to do was focus on saving Danny's life. Tucker knelt down beside his best friend, and after a minute, looked up, horror written all over his face.

"He's not breathing!"

A/N: Haha evil cliffie! I am so sorry I didn't update for months, I had no idea where I was going with this story. But now I sort of know, so the next update should be relatively soon. As always, review!


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

After Tucker's stunning announcement, the group gathered around Danny's motionless body became strangely silent as they all tried to figure out what to do. Normally Emily would be the person of choice to turn to in a situation like this: with her extraordinary healing powers, she had saved Danny's life many times before. But with her healing powers apparently gone, the only logical person to turn to was Danielle.

"Why are you all looking at me?" she questioned nervously. Sam was the first one to answer.

"Don't you have healing powers? I mean, you have practically every other power in the universe." Dani shook her head.

"No, that's one power my idiot father _didn't_ give me. He couldn't. That power can only be distributed by-"

"Isabelle, the Healing Ghost." Sam finished for her. "We know." Dani looked surprised but said nothing. For a minute, things were silent as they all watched Cujo licking Danny's motionless face.

"Speaking of Isabelle..." Emily's voice trailed off until everybody was looking at her. She cleared her throat and continued.

"Shouldn't we go to her? I mean, she _is_ the _Healing Ghost_. If anybody can heal Danny, she can." The group was silent as they all pondered this. Finally it was Sam that spoke.

"Let's do it." she said, staring straight ahead with determination. Dani, who had put Emily down by this time, looked at her friend with concern.

"Somebody has to carry Danny. If Emily can walk to Isabelle's lair, then I can carry Danny. I think I'm the only one strong enough to carry him." There were mutters of agreement all around the group.

"Can you walk, Em?" Sam asked gently. She knew how hard it was for Emily, especially when she got tired.

"It's not that far to Isabelle's" added Danielle. Emily looked all around the group, then down at Danny, and nodded.

"Yeah, I can walk. I just hope I don't slow you guys down." Everybody shifted uncomfortably. They all knew that Emily probably _would_ slow them down. But nobody was about to say that in front of her. But Emily noticed.

"Let's just go." she said quietly, fighting back tears. She _would_ slow them down. It was unavoidable. But she was used to it. She had been slowing people down all her life. Only Sam seemed to notice this, as she put an arm around Emily's shoulders in an unusual act of kindness. Danielle hoisted Danny easily into her arms, and they were off.

"I cannot heal him." Isabelle said, looking sadly down at Danny's lifeless body. "I'm sorry."

"_What_?!" all three girls yelled together. Tucker just looked angry. Outraged yells bounced off the cave-like walls and echoed throughout the lair.

"But you're the-" That was Sam, but she was drowned out by Emily, whose voice had gotten significantly louder and higher, a sure sign that she was mad.

"What do you mean-" Dani interrupted.

"But you _have_ to!" And then, all three girls together.

"You're the _Healing Ghost_!" Isabelle did not seem fazed facing three angry hormonal teenage girls-and Tucker. She just looked miserable. Isabelle had helped Danny many times before; and it pained her not to be able to help him now.

"This curse was put on Danny by the Ancient One." she explained carefully, not wanting to anger the girls even more. "The Ancient One is the most powerful ghost in the Ghost Zone. He controls everything. A curse of this magnitude can only be lifted by him."

"But...the Ancient One is missing, right?" Emily asked, recalling her conversation with the ghost who had tried to kill her. Isabelle gave an affirmative nod.

"That is why you must find him." A new sound echoed off the glowing walls-if they could be called walls-of Isabelle's lair: a harsh, sharp, bark of laughter. And it came from the most unlikely person: Emily, who had sank down to the floor during their conversation and now was sitting with her legs pulled tight to her body, and her arms wrapped around her knees.

"Find the Ancient One?" she echoed incredulously. "And, what? Is he just going to appear magically out of thin air just when we need him?" Isabelle smiled slightly at Emily's sarcastic humor.

"No. But he will give you clues along the way-that is, if he wants to be found."

_And what if he doesn't want to be found?_ thought Sam. But before she had the chance to ask, Isabelle suddenly flickered and when she reappeared, she was translucent, not completely transparent, but almost.

"What was that?" Danielle asked in confusion. Isabelle sighed.

"I was afraid of this. The Ancient One is the one who keeps everything in order in the Ghost Zone, and regulates each ghost's power to make sure we are in balance. Without him, the Ghost Zone is in disarray, and each every ghost's power is slowly dwindling."

"But I thought your power came from your necklace." pointed out Tucker, causing all three girls to look at him in surprise. None of them had ever thought that Tucker ever remembered these sorts of things.

"What?" he asked, noticing everyone staring at him. "Every once in awhile I do remember things that don't have to do with technology!"

"Anyway..." Isabelle continued, raising her voice above them. "My power comes from the necklace, but it is the Ancient One who regulates the amount of power in the necklace. As a result, my power is dwindling, just like every other ghost in the Ghost Zone."

"And...what happens when your power runs out?" came a very small and frightened voice. Danielle had sat down next to Emily, and the two of them were looking scared out of their wits. Sam was momentarily stunned. Sometimes she forgot just how young Dani was. She was _twelve_, for god's sake! A twelve year old shouldn't have to deal with these things!

"If it runs out completely, there's ghost death, which can only be reversed by the Ancient One. But long before that, we will be weak enough to be easily taken over by the Purists or another ghost faction." Isabelle told them.

"But aren't the Purists losing power, too?" questioned Emily, speaking for the first time since her sarcastic outburst.

"They are," Isabelle agreed. "But they are in a group. A group of ghosts has more power than one ghost, do they not?" Small murmurs of agreement followed. "So they share and exchange power amongst themselves, such that the rate of power loss is slowed down. At this rate, they will still have enough power left to establish an empire in the Ghost Zone. And then once those ghosts are too weak to maintain control, others will take over. The Purists and other ghost factions have human followers, you know."

"Yeah." said Sam, shuddering, thinking of Vlad. "We know." Isabelle suddenly fixed the four teens with a somber look.

"Do you realize the turmoil that the Ghost Zone is in at the moment? Different factions are fighting each other for control. The Purists are by far the strongest of all of them, so if they don't put the others into ghost death with their war, the uncontrollable power loss will do it for them. After that, we're doomed. If the Ancient One ever brings us out of ghost death, we will awake to a world ruled by Purists. Can you imagine what that would be like?" The group was silent as they pondered that horrifying thought.

"The Ghost Zone is headed into dark times, my children. And you four are the only ones who can save it. You _must _find the Ancient One, and fast. The fate of the Ghost Zone lies in your hands." Emily was the first one who spoke after that.

"Yes." she said firmly, though her face was white with fear, and her arms and legs were trembling. "We'll do it."

A/N: Well, I hope that wasn't a confusing chapter for you, it was a bit confusing to write. Took me months, but its finally done! Please review, for all my hard work. While you're at it, also review my new story, Flame. Thanks!


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